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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: vault · fine · fork · rock · clip · cabinet · lash · press

  1. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. clip — for paper
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. clip — a video
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. fine — all right
  7. press — newspapers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. clip — to cut
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fork — in a road
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. fine — high quality
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. lash — to lash out

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com